Relativity in Fundamental Astronomy (IAU S261)
Dynamics, Reference Frames, and Data Analysis

IAU S261 summarizes the present state of applied relativity, and discusses the applications and future tests of general relativity.

Sergei A. Klioner (Edited by), P. Kenneth Seidelmann (Edited by), Michael H. Soffel (Edited by)

9780521764810, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 January 2010

450 pages, 160 b/w illus. 35 tables
25.4 x 17.8 x 2.2 cm, 0.94 kg

'… a book that should be possessed by anyone who is engaged in research in precision astronomy or in General Relativity … It should certainly be in every physics and astronomy department library as an incomparable reference work…' Contemporary Physics

General relativity provides our best description of gravitation in modern physics - currently all observations and tests of gravitational theories have agreed with it. GR is applied in fields as diverse as fundamental astronomy, astrophysics, geodesy, physics, and space sciences, where high-accuracy observations and measurements are taken or modeled. IAU Symposium 261 summarizes the present state of applied relativity. It considers the applications of general relativity in a wide range of disciplines: geodesy, navigation, solar system ephemerides, space missions, pulsar timing, high-accuracy astrometry, gravity waves, gravitational lenses, and black hole astrophysics. The future tests of general relativity based on improved observational accuracies and higher order developments of the theory are discussed in general. Specific projects designed to test the theory in the near future are also covered. This volume is a useful resource for all those interested in general and special relativity, their current applications and future tests.

Preface
1. Astronomical space-time reference frames
2. Astronomical constants, nomenclature and units of measurement
3. Time scales, clock and time transfer
4. Equations of motion of astronomical bodies and light rays
5. Motion of astronomical bodies
6. Experimental foundations of general relativity
7. Pulsar timing
8. Astrometric and timing signatures of gravitational lensing and gravity waves
9. Astrometric and timing signatures of galactic and extragalactic black holes
10. Astrometry and ground-based interferometry
11. Promises and challenges of Gaia
12. Future high-accuracy projects
13. Future prospects of testing general relativity
Author index
Subject index
Object index.

Subject Areas: Relativity physics [PHR], Gravity [PHDV], Cosmology & the universe [PGK]